Come back
by Themasterchef
Summary: Story takes place after season 3 finale. Marian has comeback, making things strained for Regina and Robin. The Queen however is not one to give up on something she wants, so with the help of Henry and a certain mad hatter hopefully she can get her happily ever after.
1. Chapter 1

_"__You just better hope to Hell you didn't bring anything else back."_

Emma Swan looks at me with such pain and guilt in her eyes, but even as a hero I cannot bring myself to relent in my anger even the tiniest bit. I hope she feels pain, although it can't even come close to the pain I am feeling. I look over once more toward the man I love embracing another woman. _His wife._ I should be the only woman he embraces; I am his true love, his soul mate. Yet fate, or the Charmings, seem dead set against me ever having my happy ever after. I can no longer stand to be in the same room as any of these people and make to leave.

"Wait, Regina. I didn't know." Emma grabs my arm to keep me from leaving. I swivel back on her with a sneer on my face.

"I believe you met the Evil Queen on your little adventure. If you wish to never be reacquainted with her I suggest you let go of my arm right now Ms. Swan." I don't care about the fear that flashes in everyone's eyes. All I want to do is go home where I can cry mine out over the loss of another love. Because with Marian back, why would Robin ever chose me?

I grab my purse from my seat and head out the door. In the fresh air I pause. It takes all of my strength not to either burn down the entire diner with everyone inside or burst into sobs. I take sad steps in the direction of my house when I hear the bell of the diner chime as the door opens.

"Hey Mom! Wait up!" I hear Henry yell as he rushes to catch up with me. I see his floppy brown hair bob as he comes to stand by my side. God how I missed him. "It ok if I stay with you tonight? I've kind of missed my old room." There are just too many emotions inside of me right now it's hard to handle. No wonder my mother ripped her own heart out so she wouldn't have to feel this much. My eyes start to water as I pull my son in for a hug.

"Of course it's ok sweetie. I wouldn't have it any other way."

We walk in silence back to the house. As happy as I am that Henry is with me, I can't help but reflect on how different the walk to home is from the walk from home earlier today. Then I had been with the man I love and his son. My second chance. Now I am with my son who was gone for a year, and I think maybe I can't have it all. For all the evil I have done, maybe I only get a little bit of happiness. But if I only ever have Henry, that will be enough for me.

I smile at him as I open the door to our home. As we enter he heads toward the kitchen immediately. "Shoes Henry! Take them off!" I yell as I bend over to remove my own.

"Sorry Mom, forget." He says as he toes them off and continues into the other room. I follow behind him shortly and see he is already grabbing a notepad and pen from one of the drawers.

"What are you doing?" I ask him. He can be so full of energy some times. It's odd to see him sitting down at the counter just like he used to, but now he is so much bigger. I feel like I have lost so much time. All to Emma Swan. I truly dislike that woman.

"I'm coming up with a plan. I feel like we should call it operation fox, or rabbit, or some woodland creature." I have no idea what he is talking about, but I am touched that he finally wants me in one of his crazy schemes.

I lean on the counter next to him and brush the hair that has fallen over his eyes as he bends over his paper. "And what exactly is this plan for, hmm?"

"For getting Robin Hood back." H states as if it is the most logical thing in the world. My heart clenches a little. I can't bear to think about him and what I've lost. I turn around and lean my back against the counter. "Although it's not like he has technically, officially left."

"Honey." I sigh and run my hand through my hair. "I don't think that will be possible. He has his wife back."

"Yeah, so? He thought she was dead for like thirty years. They may have nothing in common anymore."

"They have a son." A son that was just starting to get used to me. No chance of that happening anymore.

"That's great for Roland, but doesn't necessarily mean anything for Robin. It's like when my dad came back. Him and my mom could have gotten back together, but I'm like 94.25% sure she still would have ended up with the Captain. Some people are just meant to be together no matter what. And I saw the way you two were together, I think it's meant to be. I thought it was true love even before I had my memories and remembered true love even exist!"

I shake my head as tears once again come to my eyes. He has no idea how right he is as I think of the lion tattoo.

"But why would he want me. I'm the Evil Queen. The one who had his wife executed." He gets off of his stool to wrap his arms around me and lean his head on my shoulder. How did he get so big?

"The woman who gave me true love's kiss and broke the curse? The woman who used light magic to defeat the Wicked Witch, and save my uncle is not the Evil Queen. Her name is Regina and she is one of the most beautiful and special people I have ever known, and she deserves love just as much as anyone. That's you mom. And that's why Robin is going to pick you."

I hug him back hard and finally let the tears fall free. I don't know what I did to deserve him but I swear to never do anything to jeopardize our relationship. Even if that means not having Emma's head on a platter. I believe this shows how much I have grown as a person. The thought makes me laugh and I pull back from the hug.

"Well if that is the case, what do we need the plan for?" I ask. He just shrugs his shoulders.

" Let's just say I don't like leaving things to chance."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has followed/ reviewed this story. It makes me smile and feel like I am not wasting another summer. So I will probably try to update this story every week, but if you have ever read anything I have written before you know I sometimes get off track. This is my first fic that is not about Captain Hook and Emma so I am very excited. I hope all of you enjoy it. Don't be afraid to tell me if you don't :)**

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" I don't understand Henry. How is just going to his camp and talking to him a part of operation lion? It seems like something I would have done anyway." I look at the twelve year old next to me coaching me in love as we head into the woods. My stomach is all in knots at the thought of approaching Robin. What would I say to him? It's me or her? I lied to Henry; I would not have done this unless he pushed me to like he is. I don't think I want to know the thief's answer.

"Well, in my advancing years," he says dramatically. I raise my eyebrow at him when I hear this, "I have found that the simplest answer to a problem is normally the correct one. So I think you two should talk it out like adults and maybe everything will resolve itself and you two will get back together by lunch." The young are always so full of hope and confidence. Them and Mary-Margaret.

"And if that doesn't happen?" I ask swallowing the lump in my throat the thought produces.

He shrugs his shoulders. He does that a lot lately. "Well then we truly begin the operation and we will be such mind ninjas that he won't even remember when he chose you, he will just know that he can't live without you." I must say, my knack for scheming and manipulating seems to have been passed onto my son. I should probably worry about that, but right now I am just a little bit proud.

"And we plan to do that by…?"

"All in good time Mom." He smiles at me. " Let's just try this first and worry about the rest later." And with that we arrive at the camp of the Merry Men. To distract myself from the upcoming confrontation, I think of how we will have to get everyone moved out of these woods. I can't have a bunch of homeless people squatting in the outskirts of Storybrooke. It wouldn't look good for me when reelections come rolling around. I suppose we will need to get them actual jobs so they can afford the rent of wherever they end up…

"Mom? Did you hear what I said?"

"What was that Henry?" He gives me an odd look. Normally I'm more focused, but this whole situation has my nerves fried and my brain scattered. He is not used to seeing me this way. But he makes no comment and just repeats himself.

"I said I just sent Roland to get his dad. I'm going to walk around camp while you two talk." He's leaving? But I need Henry. He keeps me calm and stable and prevents me from mass murdering. Plus these people smell, I don't want him picking anything up. I'm about to protest but we see Robin coming and Henry gives me a look saying I need to do this part on my own. I always knew he was smarter than the average child, but his wisdom still shocks me from time to time. I give him a smile and nod and he runs off to catch up with Roland. Gathering my courage I turn back to where Robin is approaching me. God, he is a beautiful man but the smile he normally wears around me is absent from his handsome face. I wonder if he is as nervous as I am.

"Your majesty." The small nervous smile I was wearing completely vanishes at the formal greeting that further breaks my heart. He isn't nervous, he is angry.

"Robin." I reply through my anxiety. This won't work.

"How nice of you to grace us with your presence but I don't think there is anyone here who feels like being locked up and executed today so you should probably leave."

"I didn't" I start to say but he interrupts me harshly.

"You didn't what? Mean to lock up the woman I loved, mother of my child, and then kill her, just so you can get your revenge on Snow White?" I am frozen on the spot by his cold glare and have never felt so helpless before. I gave this man everything, including the power to destroy me. "You must have just been laughing on the inside when I told you of the loss of my wife, and the guilt I felt. I can't believe I fell for your lies." He sneers.

"They weren't lies! I truly didn't know." I shout, breaking out of my silence. "How could you think I would lie to you? I love you." I say more quietly. No doubt everyone is now listening to our conversation.

"Ah, that. True love. Probably just another one of your lies. You stop at nothing to get what you want, even if it means ruining other people's lives." He shakes his head and starts to turn away from me. But him calling me a liar lights a fire inside me strong enough to break through his chill.

"Robin Hood of Locksley." I shout at his retreating figure which stops. I put all of my feelings into what I say next. "Yes, I killed your wife, I killed many wives, and husbands, sisters and brothers and everything in between to get what I wanted. I was The Evil Queen. You, and everyone else knows that. And if I could take it back…I wouldn't. My past made me who I am today. A good person who loves you very much. And if you ever thought I lied about that, then you don't know me as well as I thought you did." I see the ice melt away from him at my words, but he still doesn't turn back to face me.

"My wife, mother of my son, is back. What do you want me to do?" He chokes out. It's at that moment I realize his anger earlier wasn't directed at me, it was directed at the impossible situation we find ourselves in. He still loves me and he hates himself for that. Hates that he loves the woman that kept him from his wife. I see that my Robin would have forgiven me if he ever found out, because he knows I'm not the same person anymore and he can't hold grudges well. We would have been fine if Marian had not shown up. Now he feels like he needs to make that work.

I smile because these thoughts give me hope. If he still loves me then there is a chance. "You do whatever you need to Robin to be happy. Just know that I will be doing the exact same thing." He starts making his way back to his tent, to _her_, and I too turn away and beckon Henry to follow. I will have my happy ending, if it is the last thing I do.

"So how did it go?" Henry asks.

I put my arm around his shoulder as we exit the woods towards my car. "I believe we have some planning to get started."

"That good, huh?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Bit of a lighter chapter than the last one. Hopefully you'll be able to see where this story is heading. I hope you enjoy it**

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_When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that's amore._

Ignoring the overly cheesy song, I look over at Henry who is seriously considering the items on the menu before him. We are sitting at a table for six even though it is just the two of us at the moment.

Closing my own menu that lays in front of me, I clear my throat to address him. "So why Tony's today and not Granny's?" Holding his finger up to signal one more minute, he gives the menu one last glance and then finally looks up at me.

"I thought a change of scenery would be nice. Plus everyone goes to Granny's and I don't trust everybody right now. I think we should be making our plans somewhere a little more low key."

At that moment a waiter comes over to our table.

"Hello, my name is Lady. Are you two ready to order yet?"

I open my mouth to say yes when Henry interrupts me. " No, sorry, we are actually waiting for some more people to arrive."

She smiles and nods her head while walking away.

I lean towards him from across the table. "More people? Who is all coming tonight?" I was hoping all of this operation business could be just between me and Henry. I can only guess who will be joining us, and when I see the bunch of idiots walking through the door, I am not at all surprised. Hook is taking Emma's coat off and her father is laughing at something said between the three. "These people?! Really Henry? You know how I feel about them." I cannot believe this.

Henry waves them over to where we are sitting and quietly replies to me. " You guys worked so well together against the Wicked Witch and in Neverland. Plus I think this could be the thing that brings us closer again. Besides, I've worked with these people before; they get the job done."

"Hey kid, how's it going?" Emma sits down at the table, at the chair furthest away from me. Smart girl. Hook and Charming sit on either side of her.

"It's going." A few more pleasantries are made and after a few minutes we are all sitting awkwardly at the table with our drinks in front of us. "So," Henry starts us off, " we are all here for an important reason."

"Hook's wardrobe." Charming nods his head. Really?

"Do you for one minute think I would agree to a meeting about the moronic pirate's fashion?" I retort. What an idiot.

"Hey!" Emma bristles. Charming is about to come to his _mate's_ defense, but Henry holds up his hands.

"No, we are not here about the Captain's dismal wardrobe."

"Oh, like all of you dress so bloody great. I'll have you know, I could wear nothing but a burlap sack and still be the most handsome man in the room." I feel a headache coming on and rub my temples. There is no way these people could ever help me. All they ever bring me is trouble and headaches.

"Everybody stop! This is serious." Henry says getting frustrated. "We are here to get my mom back together with Robin." Emma looks over at Hook chewing her lip. I suppose she is still feeling a bit of guilt. Good.

"How are we supposed to help with that?" Charming asks reaching for one of the rolls in the middle of the table. If this is the genius he brought to the war tables that won against me, then I am deeply shamed.

"Well I figured you are all people with experience in achieving hard won love. I imagine a lot of planning and manipulating went into that, so I thought we could use your own expertise to bounce some ideas around about how we might get Robin to go back to my mom."

"Oh, a challenge. I like it." Hook wraps his arm around Emma. She rolls her eyes, but doesn't shrug his arm off like I expected. Apparently their trip to the past has brought them closer.

"How do you feel about this Regina?" Emma asks. I think about her question for a moment and can only come up with one conclusion.

"Well, I didn't leave from the table the moment I saw your faces, which is a testament of how desperate I am truly feeling." Henry sighs at my response, but the rest of the company at the table seem to find my answer acceptable. None of us are a stranger to desperation. The pizza we had order finally arrives and the Prince cannot help himself from a bad joke.

"Well then, let's dig in!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Really? This is the best you can come up with?" An hour of my life has been wasted on these morons.

"What? I think it is a superb idea." The pirate retorts with sauce all over his face, only further proving what a fool he is. Emma laughs and throws a napkin at his face.

"All you have suggested is that we kidnap Marian and drop her off in Canada!" The headache is back in full force.

"Canada is a beautiful place." Charming puts in. "So beautiful she will never want to leave. Plus it's not like she knows that Storybrooke is in Maine, she could probably never find her way back.

I finally speak my thoughts. "You are all idiots, and the fact that any of you have survived this long and found happiness baffles me."

"Maybe we could try throwing out some more ideas guys." Henry tries to get the table under control.

"You could try to seduce him. You have the goods to succeed." Hook waves his hand at me. The frown on Emma's face makes me smirk a tiny bit.

"What does that mean?" She glares at him. He just tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear. Disgusting.

"Don't fret lass. I was just paying the Queen a compliment. We all know where my heart lies." Charming gags a bit and Henry just shakes his head. "We are trying to get my mom her happily ever after, not a one night stand."

"Henry!" I say appalled. "Where did you learn such things?"

"Please, I'm twelve and I lived in New York City. A person learns things." I shoot a glance at Emma who is also giving Henry a disapproving look. I can see what a year without my parenting has done to my sweet boy.

"My apologizes for even bringing the subject up." Hook holds up his hand and hook. "Perhaps we could try something less crude."

"How do people normally fall in love?" Charming throws out the question to the group waiting for an answer.

"Normally they have a few drinks, talk, laugh and eat." Emma answers.

"Sometimes they threaten each other's lives." Hook adds, and she smiles.

I roll my eyes. "Well I've already done all of those. The problem isn't getting him to fall in love with me, I'm pretty sure he already does. The problem is getting him to choose me over his wife."

"How did you get Milah to leave her husband for you?" Henry asks the pirate.

He raises his eyebrow and answers with one word, "Swag."

Charming spits out his drink and I look for the waitress to signal for the check. "How does he even know that word!?" the prince sputters.

Everyone sits in silence for a minute in awkward silence. "Well," Emma moves on with the insanity that is this meeting, "if watching soap operas and teen dramas has taught me anything, it's that the way to win a guy back is through jealousy."

"Jealousy?" I say. "Isn't that a bit childish and, oh I don't know, stupid?"

"I know I was never crazier when I thought Emma was going to be with Bae." Hook says with a sad look on his face. I never really paid much attention to their little drama, but his face says that there was more than just a simple love triangle at play. If I remember correctly, the pirate cared for the other man. How messy our lives get.

"You know Mom, if Robin thought you were with another man that might just be the thing to get him to realize just how much he needs to be with you. Then you two would have to get back together."

I ponder this for a moment. Although I still think it is childish I don't have much to lose. "But who could we get to agree to be my new fake boyfriend?"

Charming rejoins our conversation after putting his phone away which was probably used to text Snow. "We don't have to say he is your boyfriend. He could just be a friend. As long as you are with a man, who could possibly turn into more, that should be enough to get Robin jealous." The thought that Robin would actually think I could move on from him in such a short time is absurd, but having just a male friend could do the trick.

"But we would need a man who would be able to be around all the time, preferably no job, and be rather attractive to make Robin jealous. Plus he would have to go along with this crazy idea. Who do we know who meet all of those criteria?" I ask. We all have puzzled looks on our faces, but it is Emma who is the first one to think of someone and she laughs.

"I know the perfect guy mad enough to help us. And he owes me one."


	4. Chapter 4

**ok couple of things. one, i thought because the last three chapters were told from Regina's pov that the whole story would just be her, but i have found that this chapter had to be told from someone else's pov and you will soon see who that is. i will probably split the story between the two and may add others as i see fit. two, there is some language in this chapter, that's why it's rated T. i should just rate it M so i can say the f word as much as i like...but then people would assume there is smut and i dont write that. three, and yes i understand this is long you can skip to the story now if you please, but three is Let's make a deal is a game show and Wayne Brady is the host for those of you who dont know that. it will become relevant in a moment why i bring that up. and fourth, yes there is a fourth, i just finished a book today that has ruined my life and reduced me to tears, so any kind words or reviews would make my day, plus it is june and its cold outside and that just adds to my misery. ok i hope you all enjoy this**

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Ok, it's no big deal, no big deal…deal…let's make a deal…Wayne Brady…he has nice suits. _Focus!_ Just get it in and out. You can do this. _Do this._

"Papa? Is everything ok?" my darling Grace asks. Crap! I spaced again. All I had to do was press down the lever on the toaster to cook the Poptart. So simple but yet… Most of the time I am focused, not mad at all. Have gotten especially better since my daughter has moved back in with me. But my mind can still wander while during the simplest tasks, taking me back to that state of mind I was trapped in for twenty eight years. But I am better now. I can be better.

"Of course sweetie, everything is fine." I push down on the toaster. "So any plans for today?"

_Knock knock_

I am not expecting anyone, hardly anyone visits me. I can't imagine who would be coming to pay me a visit. I look at my daughter and raise an eyebrow. "Expecting anyone? An admirer perhaps?"

She sighs and rolls her eyes at me. Her silly papa. "Yes, the love of my life is on the other side of that door, coming to sweep me away." She swivels off her chair and heads to the door. I push the lever up on the toaster so the pastry inside doesn't burn and start a huge fire that will burn the whole house down, and then the forest, and then all of Maine…very considerate and fatherly of me, and go to see who could be at the door. I stand behind Grace as she opens the door. The first person I see there is young master Henry and I start to panic. What if Grace is prophetic and he really is her soul mate? Oh god, I don't want her messed up with that crazy family, and that's saying a lot coming from me. But I pull it together when I see his two mothers on either side of him. I imagine they are here for me, and Henry is not here for my little girl. This thought makes me more pleasant than I normally would be while facing Regina.

"Hey Grace!" Henry says all smiles.

"Hey Henry!" She says just as enthusiastically. I will keep my theory of young love stored in the back of my head to analyze and distress over at a later date.

"Miss Swan." Emma nods my way at my greeting.

Regina looks like she has swallowed sour lemons. "Jefferson."

"Evil incarnate." I answer back. Ok, maybe I'm not that pleasant.

"Papa!" _Play nice._

"What can I do for you three today?" I ask in the most chipper voice I can manage.

"Can we come in?" Emma asks with a small smirk on her face. Obviously someone appreciates my humor.

"We were just making Poptarts for breakfast. Do you want one?" Grace asks Henry. He smiles and nods, so she takes his hand and leads him into the kitchen. I have no choice but to let his parents in after them. Fabulous. It is not lost on me that the last time Emma was here, it was because I kidnapped her and now we are about to have a breakfast lacking any nutritional value. I do so love character development.

"What brings you to my humble abode this morning?" I lead them into a sitting area and flop myself onto a leather chair and swing my feet over the armrest. I can hear Henry and my Grace in the kitchen from here.

Emma snorts at this. Probably at the humble part. " You owe me one." She states sitting on the loveseat across from me.

"How is that?" I fiddle with one of the buttons on my vest.

"Really?" she looks at me with an over amount of shock. I'm just messing with her, and it sure is fun. "You are really asking me that? You drugged me and kidnapped me. Held a damn gun to my head."

"I was just trying to get you to believe in magic. Your son and others did the same thing. My method was just a tad different." Let's watch her head explode.

"Are you insane?!" She explodes. This is almost too easy.

"Mad, actually."

Regina, still standing, crosses her arms over her chest in a very annoyed manner, and finally joins our conversation. "Stop playing a game Jefferson. You owe her and you know it."

I look sharply in her direction and cock my head to the side. "Yes, I owe Emma. Not you. So tell me what it is you, your majesty, are doing in my house."

Emma leans forward on the seat and answers for Regina. "She is here because I am cashing in. And what I want involves her."

I look at the two. One hopeful and the other one as uncomfortable as can be. "Well Emma, I would love to kill Regina for you, but don't you think it was in bad taste to bring the boy along?"

Regina throws her head back and groans. "This was such a bad idea."

Emma looks at us both sternly. "No, I think this is what you two need to get over and past whatever happened between you two."

"Oh" I say, pulling my legs down from the armrest to put my elbows on my knees and my chin in my hands. "Whatever happened between us? You mean the fact that she sent me to a crazy ass world, tore me from my daughter. Used me again and again and never kept her promises? That whatever?"

"Please," Regina huffs, "You used me long before I used you. Did you honestly think I would never find out how you played me with Daniel?" We glare at each other until Emma interjects her thoughts.

"Yeah, you both screwed each other over a long time ago. You have both messed with me, but I have forgiven. Can't you two do the same?"

I look at Regina and shake my head. "That bitch doesn't deserve it."

"You crazy piece of shit." Regina snaps back at me. Emma puts her head in her hands.

"Poor excuse of a mother."

"Even poorer excuse of a father. Does it hurt, knowing she was raised better by two other people for twenty eight years and probably wishes she was back with them?"

"I don't know. Does it hurt knowing your son, who even isn't yours, hated you so much he went to find his real mom? And probably wishes the last year he spent away from you would last forever?"

"YOU…" she is seething with rage and so am I. I can't hear anything from the kitchen. "You bastard!"

"Whore."

"Jackass."

"Dumbass."

"Filth."

"Home wrecker." We are both standing toe to toe by then when she slaps me.

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" Henry yells from the doorway with Grace by his side. I am instantly ashamed of how loud we were acting.

Emma lifts her head, sighs, and stands up to join them by the doorway. "I'm sorry kid, things got out of hand. I don't think operation lion is going to work." Everyone makes to leave and I find myself embarrassed enough by my actions to stop them.

"Wait! I was wrong. I apologize." I bow my head in the direction of the queen. "Please tell me what I can do to make amends." I do not want my daughter to think this is how adults behave. I need her to be better than that, than me.

"Well," Henry says, moving into the sitting room, "you could help us with operation lion."

I stare at him for a moment. "I don't understand. Is that slang for something? Should I know what this means?" I have a feeling that it is the boy's madness and not my own keeping me from understanding what he wants of me.

"It's a code name." Emma fills me in. "That way people don't know what we are up to."

"And we are up to…?"

"Helping get my mom back with Robin Hood." My daughter looks excited by this. Prospects of love are new and shiny to the young. And Mary-Margaret. I'm going to have to keep an eye on that.

"How can Papa help with that?" She asks, though the look she shares with Henry suggests she knows more than I.

"Yes, how is Papa going to help with that?" I sing song to the queen. She sneers at me, and I get the feeling this won't be pleasant for either of us.

"Here's the kicker. We planned that we would make Robin jealous by getting Regina a kind of sort of boyfriend." Emma supplies.

"Kind of sort of?"

"Not an actual boyfriend, but someone attractive enough to make Robin jealous by having him _think_ it could turn into something more. So really just a friend."

I am not crazy enough for this shit. " If it's just a friend you need, why don't you do it then Emma?"

She rolls her eyes up to the ceiling. " Like I said, he needs to think that she is moving on with someone. That way he'll want her back."

"Well I always thought you two had excellent chemistry."

"I think it is simple and romantic." Grace says ignoring me. "Oh you have to do it! You'll be helping true love." If Robin is her true love, I feel sorry for the guy.

"You know you picked the one man in town, other than Rumplestiltskin, who hates Regina more than life itself?" How did my morning of Poptarts get turned into this?

"Are you going to do it or not?" Emma snaps at me. I ponder things for a minute, and then look to the silent monarch. Oh, how desperate she must be to come to me.

It's not like I have much to do with my days anyway when Grace is in school. And they do say to keep your enemies close. Plus, if all else fails I will have the opportunity to annoy the hell out of her.

I finally come to a decision. "I want the queen herself to ask me." I just can't help myself by pouring salt in her wounds. She knows this, and puts on her phoniest smile while stretching out her hand to me.

"Will you pretend to be my friend to help me win back Robin?" She asks in a sickly sweet voice. I hear everyone groan in disgust. And since there is no way in hell this plan will ever work because it sounds like it has come from a teenage girl's mind that is more messed up than my own, I put my hand in hers.

"Yes."

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**i made a mistake, there are five things i wanted to say. all my stories have a Poptart motif and i am not sorry for it! I LOVE THEM.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, sorry for the delay. i know this story isn't that great to warrant a long absence, but things this summer are just a tad more hectic than the last one. i will try to be better in the future about updating. thank you to everyone who is still reading and leaving messages! ok, on to the story, i hope you enjoy it.**

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"Mama, can we go to the park today and feed the ducks?" Roland asks looking at me with the most adorable eyes. I can't imagine a day I will ever so no to him. This will one day lead to bad parenting.

"Of course sweetie, just as soon as we eat breakfast."

"And just what will we be dining on for the most important meal of the day?" My husband says as he comes up behind me to give me a quick kiss. Sometimes I cannot believe this is my life, a son, a husband. After all the despair…

"Hmmm. Good question. Let me know once you have cooked it." I shoot back at him. He laughs and goes to the campfire in the middle of the clearing to see what he can make. _That's not right_. Why aren't we in my house? How did we get to a clearing?

Obviously he sees something that pleases him and turns to speak directly at me. "I believe we will be feasting on eggs today dear Marian." I feel a deep darkness in me, all consuming. That is not my name. I'm…

_Regina._

I wake from my dream with a start. I run my hand through my damp hair and look out the window to see that it is still dark outside. The clock on my nightstand reads 4:20. Perfect. I lay my head back on the pillow and turn to look at the empty place in my bed while I ponder my dream. Nightmare more like it, made all the more terrifying because of the truth behind it. Another woman is living the life that should be mine. My soul mate Robin was looking at me with all the love in the world, but it was meant for another. A few tears escape my eyes and roll down my face to wet the pillows. I have tried to keep it together the best I can, but after the confrontation with Robin and the insane meeting with Jefferson, I find it hard to keep everything bottled in anymore. What is the point really? Everyone expects me to lose it. Wallow in my grief and take it out on Emma. I am ashamed to say a part of me wants to do just that. Live down to everyone's expectations of me. Forget about the light and just return to the dark. It would be familiar. But I can't do that this time, there is Henry. He expects more of me and I only want to live up to his expectations. A stronger person would have their own expectations on how they should be, but I've never been all that strong. I have survived, but that doesn't equate to strength.

I roll over on my side, exhausted from my thoughts and from the events of earlier today.

I knew getting Jefferson to help me was a long shot. I can't say I was surprised when we went at each other's throats. I was a bit shocked at his apology, and his offer to help. Although, accepted as an act of penance by the rest of the group, I suspect he just wants a front row seat to the train wreck that is my love life. Well that is fine with me, as long as he helps and this plan works. I must say I am not that optimistic and am mostly going along with this for Henry's sake. I know he wants to believe that Robin will take me back, but I feel in my heart that I am meant to be alone. I suppose I will find out tomorrow, or later today, when I meet Jefferson for breakfast to begin our act. As I try to find a couple more hours of sleep all I can think is that I will not be able to stomach any eggs for breakfast.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"I will have some apple pancakes and a coffee, thank you." I hand my menu back to the she-wolf. I look at the man sitting across from me and frown. It is not a man with short blond hair or dressed like a thief. It is a brunette idiot with too much eyeliner and a dumbass vest on.

"Hmmm." He taps his fingers as he looks over the menu. He has been coming here for 28 years and he doesn't already know what he wants? "I think I will have…the salad. With a glass of tea please."

"Salad?" Ruby asks. "It's nine in the morning." She puts her hands on her hips and looks at him like the fool he is.

"Thank you for telling me the time, as irrelevant as that tidbit was. I don't see how that affects me wanting a salad. And if you could make sure it had no almonds in it that would be great. Wouldn't want me to die all over your clean floor."

"Let's not jump to conclusions." I say as he hands Ruby his menu and watches her leave.

He looks back to me with a crazy smile. "Now, now, Regina. I thought we were supposed to be getting along. Acting like a bitch won't accomplish that." I close my eyes and swallow my response to him. The last thing I need now is getting kicked out of Granny's because of rated R language.

"I promise I will make no jokes about murdering you anymore. Why don't we try talking about something pleasant." We sit in silence for a couple of minutes trying to come up with topics of discussion. After one too many awkward moments I ask, "So where is your daughter today?"

He raises his eyebrow at me. "It is nine on a Monday. She is in school, like most children."

"Oh yes, that's right." I look down slightly embarrassed with my obvious ignorance of the days. Just a sign of my total disconnect with the world since losing Robin. "I was assured that Ms. Swan would be enrolling Henry back in classes today." He looks uninterested in this as our food is being set down in front of us. After poking at his salad for a minute, he starts shoving it in his mouth. I too start eating.

"So what's it like, really, sharing Henry with Ms. Swan?"

"You don't share Grace with her cursed parents?" I inquire. I normally don't think about all the people with fake families, and how they deal with their knowledge after the curse was broken.

"I suppose. She visits them and talks on the phone. But at the end of the day she is my daughter, and I will be making all the decisions when it comes to her wellbeing." Poor girl. "I assume things are different with you and Henry's other mother."

"I'm not sure what your interest is in that, or see how it's any of your business." I stab an apple off the pancake and eat it.

"I thought we were supposed to be friends. Friends share stuff like this. Emotions, thoughts, family heirlooms, pizza."

"I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, well not really, but we are not that close of friends."

He rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his tea. "Well then what do two people who are not close friends, but are trying to pretend to be talk about?"

The first thing that comes to my mind is _other people_. "How long do you think Ms. Swan and the pirate will last?"

At this he looks surprised and amused. "Are you telling me Emma and that eye liner wearing prima donna of a captain are a couple? Since when?"

"Please, those two have been trying to get into each other's pants the moment they met. You should have seen them in Neverland; it was nauseating. And you are one to talk about wearing eye liner. Maybe you two could share a pencil."

"Hey!" he tries to defend himself. "I'll have you know my eyes are naturally rimmed like this." He gestures to his face.

"Yeah, and Cinderella's hair is naturally blond." I hear the bell to Granny's chime and look over Jefferson to see who has come in. My pancakes get stuck in my throat when I realize it's him. Robin doesn't seem to glance my way as he saunters over to the counter to pick up food.

"Wait, you're saying her hair isn't that color? I could have sworn her hair was like that in the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't like we had L'oreal back then."

"Shut up." I snap at him while I continue to watch Robin. He must be getting breakfast for his family. I know that since coming to this world, he has become insanely addicted to coffee and hates to go without.

Jefferson looks over to where I am looking and smiles. "Ohhhh. Regina and Robin sitting in a tree.."

"I swear if you do not shut up, I will have your mouth disappear from your face."

"I thought the whole point of this charade was for us to talk, get close, and make he who shall not be named for he is standing ten feet away, jealous."

I focus back on the man sitting across from me, and realize what he says is true. I won't get Robin back by staring at the back of his head. "Of course, continue talking."

"Well I'm not sure I'm in the mood now. You did just tell me to shut up. Rather rude if you ask me." He swipes his fingers across the bottom of his plate to lick up the last of the salad dressing. Disgusting.

"Jefferson, please." I plead.

He raises his eyebrow once again at me and all of a sudden starts to laugh. "I'm sure Grace would love to go shopping with you. She could use some new clothes and shoes, and I bet she could really use some girl time. You do make such an excellent mother figure." I stare at him in puzzlement. The fumes he used to make his hats must have really gone to his head and stuck there.

"What?" I say unintelligently.

"We were just saying how glad we are that you seem to be making all of this time for us suddenly. We missed having you around; I remember how you used to come over the house all the time, even back in our world."

"If you are doing drugs, I will have your daughter taken away."

He laughs again. "Oh Regina.." abruptly he stops chuckling and grows serious. "You can pick Grace up after school tomorrow."

I look at him in complete bewilderment and glance over back at the counter to see if Robin has witnessed any of this insanity. "He's gone." I say.

"Of course he is. Why do people keep pointing out obvious facts today? We live in Maine. See, I can do it too." He is trying to signal Ruby for the bill.

"Care to explain what just happened?"

He sighs loudly, looking at his check. "Seven dollars for a salad. How ridiculous, it could have at least had some egg in it." He looks back up to me. "Oh, yes. I was simply doing what was asked of me. The thief now knows you are spending time with another widow and his child. And not just anybody off the street. A person you have known for a long time. That's enough to make someone a little jealous isn't it? At least as a start." I have always found that madmen who have genius in them are always the most frightening. But at least now it is starting to serve my purpose. I wonder how Robin will handle this information, or if he heard at all. I would not be surprised if he tried to completely block me out.

"Thank you. It was a clever ruse." I admit, and throw a few dollars on the table as a tip.

"Oh it wasn't a complete ruse." He says standing up and putting his coat on. "I will see you tomorrow at four to pick up Grace. For the record she loves purple." And with that he exits the restaurant.


End file.
